Common Sense Media Review
By Mary Eisenhart
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Lively, colorful celebration of cleverness and homecoming.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 4+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
THE OCTOPUS ESCAPES opens with the title character enjoying life in his undersea cave -- the waves, the currents, the colorful fish, the crabs he chases for dinner. One day his curiosity gets the better of him and he crawls into a diver's empty glove -- and is soon taken to a tank in an aquarium. There humans interact with him, give him a lot of tasks and tests, feed him the same food every day -- and just laugh and ignore him when he tries to explain that he's cramped and bored. So he realizes he's got to get out and go home.
Is It Any Good?
In simple words and colorful pictures, Maile Meloy and Felicita Sala offer a cheer-worthy tale of a captive sea creature, his resolution to get back home, and his cleverness making it happen. Engaging and relatable to kids and adults alike, The Octopus Escapes is positive and upbeat, avoiding gloom and doom in favor of empowerment, perseverance, and happy homecoming.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about octopuses and their lives in the ocean. Have you heard about them before you knew about The Octopus Escapes? Have you ever seen one in real life? Do you think they're interesting creatures? What do they do that you think is cool?
When the octopus lives at the aquarium, he misses the way things were always changing in his cave. What do you think you'd miss about your home if you had to be somewhere else?
The octopus likes solving puzzles. How do you feel about puzzles?
Book Details
- Author :
- Illustrator : Felicita Sala
- Genre : Picture Book
- Topics : Adventures , Animals ( Ocean Creatures ) , STEM
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : G.P. Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers
- Publication date : May 7, 2021
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 3 - 7
- Number of pages : 40
- Available on : Nook, Audiobook (unabridged), Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 29, 2025
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